Page 406 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 24 February 1993
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as you always do. You always wag the dog, and for the next two years you will continue to wag the dog, until the people of the ACT chuck you out where you belong. We know that, so - - -
Mr Moore: I think you are barking up the wrong tree.
MR DE DOMENICO: No. We know that, Mr Moore. Notwithstanding any of that, though, I want what you say on the record.
Mr Moore: My statement will have teeth.
MR DE DOMENICO: Good.
Mr Connolly: You should read last night's Hansard.
MR DE DOMENICO: I have. Mr Berry, you now have a wonderful opportunity to achieve uniformity by supporting this Bill, which we are aware you will declare urgent. Such a declaration is a nonsense, but let us see what the house has to say about that. By accepting this Bill right now, Mr Berry can achieve uniform standards by reverting to designated work groups of 20 or over, thus keeping us in line with New South Wales and keeping us closer to Queensland. As we heard the last time occupational health and safety legislation was before us, in Queensland the number is 30.
If you do that, Mr Berry, you will probably find every person in the business community saying to you, "That is a fantastic thing that you have done, Government. You really should not have done anything last year anyway". Business organisations were not consulted about the change, notwithstanding what Mr Berry and Ms Follett say from time to time about consultation. I think Mr Stevenson quite adequately covered that yesterday when he said, "It is always a smiling face and it is always said very nicely". The word "consultation" is very easy to say, especially when you are standing up smiling in front of a television camera. But when it comes to actually doing anything, nothing happens.
This Government talks about many things. It talks about concern for occupational health and safety; it talks about unemployment; it talks about consultation; but it does nothing. Here is a chance for Mr Berry to do something, to put his money where his mouth is. It is all well and good for Mr Berry to sing the praises of uniform standards in occupational health and safety. Mr Berry would probably say, "As long as those uniform standards conform to my standards". Mr Berry is wrong again. If he were really concerned about unemployment in the ACT, especially youth unemployment, he would not be attempting to target those industries which are in fact the greatest employers of youth in this Territory. But Mr Berry specifically targets those industries. We know that it is pleasing his trade union bosses. That is fine, but it is not pleasing the community.
Two weeks ago Mr Berry made a great fanfare about uniform standards. He thinks that is the way to go. Mr Berry and the Government, I invite you to support this Bill. Declare it urgent but support it. I urge Ms Szuty and Mr Moore to support it as well and to say, "Okay, we believe in uniform standards. Let us bring the ACT into line with what happens in New South Wales. Let us have 20 in a designated work group". I can assure you, Mr Berry, that we will never have the sweatshops that you claim that we would have here in the ACT, because the employer's greatest asset is his employees.
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